The Pursuit of Love
by iridescent33
Summary: When two people meet, something is born. When two people are destined for each other, they will always come back no matter how their complex emotions may get in the way. IKARISHIPPING RAMBLE ! !
**A/N: I just did an ikarishipping ramble (I think that's what they're called?) while listening to some music on soundcloud. This is unedited, and was complete with one take, so it is unpolished and extremely imperfect. I left it with a somewhat open ending, as in I never established that Paul and Dawn were dating or what they're feelings were because I couldn't finish it! But it's clear that they do care for each other :) I hope you guys find my quick and utterly plotless and random one shot (is that he correct term idk) enjoyable.**

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When two people meet, something is born. When two people are destined for each other, they will always come back no matter how complex emotions may get in the way.

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The first time he noticed her was at the Obrgeuh City gym, when she got in between him and Ash. He was 13 at the time, an egotistical tween with only one thing on his mind, victory. He didn't particularly care for the young girl, but did take note of her obvious irritation when he stated he didn't remember her. They had met before? He couldn't recall. But her thoughts and her actions aligned themselves with Ash, and he didn't like her as he didn't like that overly optimistic trainer either.

She ran up to him the next time, without any sort of previous resentment from their brief encounter before. Her cheeks were red, sweat running down her head and her words sparse as she asked him if he had seen Ash or Brock. He said no, and even though Dawn knew he was lying she still gave a smile and wave, saying that she'll see him around. Brock came up to him later, asking if he had seen them and he said no, hoping that maybe she would come back and smile once more for him.

Paul sits down on a bench at a park, next to a sobbing girl with a large red jacket. She perks her head up and he realizes that it's Dawn again, who seems to be crying about her failure in a contest. He doesn't react smugly, as the first round has nothing to do with pokemon battles but appeals, something that has more influence on a trainer's creativity and a pokemon's skill, not their brute power and force. He let's her know that she just needs to try harder, and she cries even louder.

At the tag team battle, she's there again, Ash and Brock have finally seemed to pick up on her obvious sadness. He's irritated again that this girl is with a guy like that, and how he's come to look forward to seeing her but not the troublesome boy she follows around. Dawn thanks him for not saying anything that one time when she was crying, and he is unsure how to react, slightly surprised that she did not want anyone to know about her weakness. He lets her know that when two people meet, something is born, as if maybe something can come out of their fated meeting. When they battle each other, focuses his attacks on her pokemon, which easily and readily counters them and Ash's attacks. He sees her in a new light, and questions why someone like her would even cry when they possess such skill and power under their belt.

He notices her again, their eyes locking when he leaves after Ash's chimchar activates its blaze ability. He's irritated with that boy again, for being able to get through to that pokemon somehow and at the foolishness Ash displays when he flung himself towards the raging pokemon; but he's mostly irritated that she gave him support. He walks away from the trio, deep in thought when he feels a pair of eyes on him. Their her eyes, a deep ocean blue full of confusion and some sort of longing. She wants to understand him, but he knows it's only for the sake of Ash. She quickly looks away when she realized he saw through her and her thoughts, turning a light shade of pink and dashing towards Ash and Brock. He walked away quicker, brushing those deep blue eyes aside and focused on his next victory against Ash.

He's tired, as he had stayed up all night planning out countless strategies to defeat Ash. Giving a call to Reggie, updating his older brother on his plans and going over his numerous strategies, Reggie tells him to power through and he'll easily defeat Ash. He smiles at that statement, glad his brother truly acknowledges his power, but those words are the same one's he has been telling himself and he isn't so sure of them. He hangs up and turns around to see Dawn looking at him intently, then shy as he caught her eavesdropping. At this point, he doesn't mind and ushers the girl to come over. Her eyes are an ocean of comfort and understanding, and as Paul continues to tell her his problems with Ash, she gives that same smile from previously and tells him that although Paul is clearly confident with his pokemon's power, shouldn't question his own power as well. Dawn tells him that she doesn't know who to cheer for now, making Paul's stomach twist. When the battle ends and he lost, he looks to her first and she looks shocked, but smiles at him again and yells his name. Paul acknowledges Ash's power, and acknowledges his need to have that girl as a pillar of his strength.

When Ash and Brock leave, he watches her cry for the next 3 hours in the same spot, still and unmoving. He confronted her, asking her why didn't see show this weakness in front of Ash and Brock, who would've stayed for her until she was ready for them to leave. She retorted at him and called him selfish and unchanging, as she thought that he just wanted to battle Ash again. She stormed away, Paul unable to get his words across.

When he got back from Unova a year later, her face was plastered on the TV, her clear and obvious 14 ribbon streak still going on strong and unbreakable. Although she hadn't won the Grand Festival, she was still smiling and still looked happier than usual. Paul turned off the TV and went to his room, not being able to see her face without feeling something more. They ran into each other a lot, both of them trying to avoid the other for some reason. He could feel her eyes on him and he couldn't look back, but he knew her eyes were still plastered with the same longing and need to understand from a year ago.

They didn't speak until another three years later, he was 17 and she was 15. She was with her boyfriend, a kind and sweet boy who worked for Professor Rowan. Her arm was entangled with his, their fingers intermingling like it wasn't a problem. He couldn't help to feel like that should be him, and questioned these feelings. It was puberty, he claimed, that made him feel this way, and the raging hormones he felt in his body when he saw her. She gave a light smile and their conversation went downhill with Paul's short and crisp answers. She called him out for being so moody and rude as they were when they were children, and Paul lashed back at her, mad at her for who knows what.

Now when they saw each other, they continued their retorts and remarks, Dawn's boyfriend awkwardly standing there and watching them bicker. Reggie had insisted he'd be more civil with her, but he couldn't. He didn't know what he did to deserve this treatment from the girl, or how to fix it. But still, like every other encounter, Dawn's eyes always lingered and this time he looked back, and he was confused as to what emotions her eyes held. He just didn't like that know her anymore.

They stayed at the same hotel one night, and he could hear her crying from across the hallway. Pounding on the door, he let her in and locked the door, pouncing him and leaving hot kisses on his neck. He was confused, but gripped the girl tight and went along with whatever mess they were getting themselves into. Her voice was breathless, and repeated his name with such delicacy and care that he pushed her on, wanting to hear more from her. They didn't know what was happening, but they both understand that they needed this moment, and that the memory, voices, and intense burning feelings would be ingrained with their kisses.

They went their separate ways after that, him to Kalos and her to Johto. When they ran into each other, their eyes would lock on and both of them would remember the heated night they experienced when they were young. But just to be sure the both of them still remembered that night, they would re enact it again. Paul learned later that Dawn had broken up with Lucas and used him, but he didn't mind. He liked having her by his side, he liked the heated and intense arguments they had. He was beginning to know her, the more passionate and intense side of her that was kept away when she was with Ash, and only appeared when he was around.

On the sunniest and hottest day of the summer, Dawn storms into his house with a pregnancy test. Her hands are shaky and she doesn't need to tell him the situation at hand. Her test comes back negative, and they get into a heated argument about whether or not Dawn should've kept the kid if they were in that situation. She says no, he said yes. She calls him stupid, he calls her irresponsible for her actions. She screams, she pushes, he yells, but never lays a finger on her. She storms out, and Paul realizes she has his shirt on.

He wants to apologize, but he doesn't know what for. He's too stubborn, too prideful of himself. Little things that she used to do, the random texts or occasional snacks she'd pack him were missing. Her warm breath was no longer there to melt away his ice cold fortress, her voice never called his name again. He realized in that moment that he was attached to that stupid, troublesome girl and his stomach twisted when he caught glimpses of her. But he could never go up to her, so he built more walls around himself.

He puts all his time into pokemon training, and she puts her time into pokemon coordinating. Three years, they've skilfully avoided each other, yet they know between each other there must have been some kind of feelings as none of them have dated since their last encounter. Gary gets him hooked on parties and hooking up with girls, and Drew supplies him with whatever he needs to let loose and have fun. He sees her at a club, looking as dazzling as ever. She's sober, he's drunk, and somehow she was able to convince him to come outside with her. She takes care of the incredibly drunk man and speaks to him without any sort of bias. They don't talk about what happened last time, or try to mend their relationship. It's small talk, full of giggles and horrible puns; a lighthearted conversation they might've had when they were younger.

He finds Dawn at Route 224, behind the Pokemon League where Shaymin is rumored to live. He went solely for the purpose of capturing the pokemon, but there she was, laying in a field of gardenia flowers. He lays next to her, and he notices that she's crying. She was aiming to win the Grand Festival for the third time in a row, but lost to her old friend Kenny. Paul only kept her eyes on her, watching her weakness and her self pity, a side she keeps tucked away from everyone… but him. Instead of offering advice, he tells her that he'll be there to support her at times like this when she needs it. She stands and blue eyes look up at him with surprise and relief, the gentle breeze fluttering through her hair and her skirt, the sunlight making her shine and radiate. Paul shifts his vision from the landscape of flowers and towards the girl who's planted now blossoming feelings in his lungs that are making him have trouble breathe and make his heart skip a beat.

They start to see each other more, less sex and kissing from previously. He likes talking to her, and sometimes they just lay in bed together and speak. She's very insightful, and can keep up with his sarcastic banter. It's different from their constant arguing; there's no underlying sexual tension and a higher level of intimacy they were lacking before. They have pokemon battles with each other, her creativity from contest skillfully interweaved in battles and keeping him on his toes. When Ash comes back, Dawn stays by Paul's side this time and cheers on Paul, who ushers in an obvious victory. Paul swells up with pride when he comes to terms with his feelings and how Dawn gives him support to help him win. He finally has a pillar of strength, and she does too.

He loses against Cynthia, which was expected. The battle was surprisingly close, but Cynthia's pokemon have years of experience that Paul is just beginning to pick up. He doesn't turn to alcohol, but to her instead and her delicate touch on his arms is enough to bring him back down from his tower of pride and worry. She tells him to be more confident in himself, as they lie in her bed, her fingers playing with his hair and touching his face. He falls asleep, knowing she is constant and that the feeling of love and support has been born, beating and ever thriving in their hearts. She holds onto him, and she closes her eyes too, not wondering about who his is but knowing that he is constant as well. And for once, their thoughts aligned themselves with each other, acting as pillars of strength.

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 **A/N: Maybe if I have time I'll finish this. It's completely random and lacking in structure, but hopefully someone found it to be interesting. I always liked the idea of Paul relying on Dawn, since he seems so independent and able to take care of himself. idk, just an idea to make him seem more 3D and have more depth. Regardless of how crappy this is, thank you for taking the time to read it and pleeeaseee leave a review if you have any ideas how I can make this better!**


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